Method of cultivating row crops



Feb. 16, 1954 J, SEVERANCE 2,669,067

METHOD OF CULTIVATING ROW CROPS Filed March 26, 1949 a sheds-sheet 1 EEEEI INVENTOR. I Jog Severan e. 1 BY Feb. 16, 1954 .1. SEVERANCE METHOD OF CULTIVATING ROW CROPS s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1949 H Eli-am IN V EN TOR.

Joe Sever 17.06 BY Feb. 16, 1954 J SEVERANCE 2,669,067

METHOD OF CULTIVATING ROW CRQPS 7 Filed March 26 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 V INVENTOR. doe Severance Patented Feb. 16, 1954 METHOD OF CULTIVATING ROW CROPS Joe Severance, Grangeville, Idaho, assignor of one-half to Robert C. Chattin, Boise, Idaho Application March 26, 1949, Serial No. 83,580

' 6 Claims.

My invention pertains to the art of cultivation, and relates particularly to a novel method of cultivating row crops whereby loss of moisture from the soil and growth of weeds is maintained at a minimum.

It has been the general practice heretofore to cultivate row crops in either one of two ways. One of these methods is to run a hiller between the rows and thereby move the soil closer to the plant while simultaneously forming an irrigation trough longitudinally between the rows. This method is deficient in that the soil immediately adjacent the plants is not treated, and it is necessary therefore to hoe the hills by hand in order that weeds may be removed and the soil loosened. Moreover the hilling method produces large lumps of soil in great quantity. These lumps become dehydrated rapidly upon exposure to the atmosphere and hardened into dry aggregates which are not easily disintegrated thereafter. Thus, the moisture so necessary for proper growth of the crops is lost and the efiiciency of the soil for propagation of the plant is reduced.

The second method of cultivating row crops comprises the cutting away of soil adjacent the planted row by means of disc plows and loosening a portion of the soil between the rows with such devices, for example, as duck foot cultivator elements. This type of cultivator cannot be of such effective width as would loosen all of the soil between rows because some of the soilwould necessarily be pushed onto the plants. The soil is then corrugated to provide means for irrigation. A serious objection to this method of cultivation resides in the fact that the row plants now project from a narrow ridge of soil defined by the marginal furrows produced by the disc plows. This narrow strip of soil is most readily dehydrated because it is exposed to the atmosphere and, unless such cultivation is followed closely by irrigation, the soil becomes hard and dry with consequent reduction in its utility.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a method whereby row crops may be cultivated without incurring objectionably dehydration of the soil.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a method of cultivating row crops by which method the soil intermediate and closely adjacent the rows of plants is disintegrated to a flufiy mass and a portoin thereof is distributed around the plants to inhibit the growth of weeds.

A further object is the provision of a method of cultivating row crops in which method the soil intermediate the rows of plants is broken into large aggregate and then immediately disintegrated into a fluffy level mass to prevent dehydration.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fra mentary plan view of a power tractor having mounted thereon a row crop cultivator attachment particularly suited for performing the method embodying my invention, and illustrating one form of means by which power from said tractor may be coupled to the rotary mulching unit;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of another type of power tractor having mounted thereon the cultivator attachment shown in Fig. 1, and illustrating a second form of means by which power from said tractor may be coupled to the rotary mulching unit;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2, showing the construction and arrangement of ground working implements; the arrangement of the disc plows being indicated in dotted outline;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation taken along the line 4 i in Fig. 2, showing the construction of adjustable mounting means for the drive coupling;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the construction of a rotary mulching element;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section of ground showing the results of treatment with the forward row of ground working tools as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the results of treatment with the entire combination ofground WOIkiIlg tools in accordance with the method embodying my invention.

A description of the cultivator attachment illustrated in the drawings is included herein to better illustrate the steps involved in practicing the method embodying the present invention. The cultivator attachment per se forms the sub- .ject matter of the claims of my copending appli- I supports the drive motor 2 and seat 3 thereon.

The frame member is in turn supported on spaced front-dirigible wheels (not shown) and rear drive wheels 4. The latter wheels are spaced transversely of the central frame and connected by a drive axle which engages the individual power gears of each wheel contained in the housing it. Other types of tractors may be used with the cultivator attachment, the form of tractor shown in the drawing being intended merely as a convenience in illustrating the manner in which thelattachment ismountedl A pair ofconventional tool bars 1 and fl-"a-re arranged transversely of the tractor under the frame member I or upon a tool holder fixed to the rear thereof and in a laterally stablevposition. The tool bars are held firmly in spaced lateral relation with each :other'byxmeansfiot brackets 9 secured therebetween adjacentthe ends of the former. The forward ends of brackets 9 are joined pivotally to th'e'rearward ends' of link rods l0. Said link rods converge=for+ wardly and are mountedupivotally to the front endlnot shown) of theframemember-i. Lever means; (-notshown) interconnects the rearward endpf, the tool vbarassembly with the frame in such manner as to permit raising and lowering of assembly vertically with l respect to the ground. in. conventional manner.-

Dependi'ng centrally from the forwardtcol bar 1 is a conventional duck1foot cultivator element Ila. Said :duclcfoot ismounted ldetachably on theltoolbar: by means of a clamp l2 which accormnodates vertical adjustment of the duck-foot with-respect to the ground. Pairs of discplow bladeal 3. are mounted on opposite ends of brackets, Htsecuredslidablyon clamps i5 Said clamps are mounted on the tool bar 1 atopposite sides ofthe-centralduck foot Ht The spacing between said& pairs of. discs correspondsto the distance between rows it of plantslbeing cultivated. Each pairhof discshtflarecspaced apart adjustably in? oizderthat each disc may be closely adjacent op posite sides of the plants forming said rows. The" discs formingeachpair.converge ina forwardly direction and-thus produce V-shaped troughs i1 OIMODQQSitB sides: ofthe planted rows when the cultivatoris: drawnthrough-the: soil, asshown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Additionathalf. duck foot'elements 1:8 and aremount'ed .orrtool bar I by means ofclamps 20. and, 2t, respectively, in manner. similar to ele-' ment. Hr. As.shown-clearly-,inFigstl and 2, said duck foot.,.elements: Miandl9 extendtinwardly' toward theipairsr ofdiscs: i.3- atsubstantially the same spacing and. angle. of thecentrat ducle foot I It. While-I have showncbut two pairs ofdiscs- I3 arranged on the tool bar I, it is to 'be unden stoodtthat a longer tool bar. may be used and additional. discs and full duck foot elements: l l mountedlthereonv in the proper spaced relation described hereinbefore. In this-manner as "many rowsmf plants. may bencultivatedvas desired, defiu'ythI'BbStWEIl as sthei g pr t gaj. .s-

pending, .upon:..the. number of ground working implements provided of the latter b'yJ-means of bolt clamps 29.

ings, it is to be noted that the ground working tools mounted on the forward tool bar I are adjusted vertically to a position at which they penetrate the soil to a depth of a few inches, While the duck foot elements mounted on the rear tool bar 8 are adjusted to a position substantially level With the surface 21 of the ground. The function of the rear duck foot elements is to level the soil afi'd 'to pusfia s'iiiall quantity of the latter more "closely adjacent-the rows of plants by means of the plates 26, as discussed more fully hereinafter.

Apairofbraekets 28 are secured detachably between the toolbars 1 and 8 adjacent the ends The brackets are -'s iibs'tar'itially trapezoidal in profile, the shorter horizontal side being arranged below the longer parallel side, as shown in Fig. 3. Bearings were mounted on the lower horizontal sides of said brackets and support rotatably therein thero-tor'shaft 31 which extends transversely of the tractor parallel with the longitudinal dimensions (ifthe tool bars -1 and 8. rotor shaft aremulching rotors of thetype now to be described.

The mulching-- rotor a-rr-ang-ed centrally on the rotor shaft 3-! comprises a central hubdisc' 32 and end hub discs 33 and 34' spaced laterally "on" opposite sidesot the center disc-. secured detachably and independently to the rotorshaft by such means-- as the set screws 3%.

Theoentral disc- 32 is preferably of slightlylarg'ef" diameter than theendhubs, although such con struction is not essential to proper operation of Mulching blades 36', conveniently the" device".- formed of lengths of angle iron are secured de tachably and pivotally' between-the central disc" 32 and the oppositeend' discs by means of bolts" 31* to form asubstantially cage-like rotor-.- Elon ently of theothersby loosening the proper set screw 35 =the=angularityb1 the blades 36' with respeot'to-the-axisofrotation of shaft 31 may bealteredatwill to producevarious degrees of shearing:action by-the blades-on the soil being cultivated? Additionalz rotorsare arranged 'on -the shaft 31 atopposit'e'=sides" 'of' the central rotor. These flanking rotors", 'as-=shown in Fig's. 1 andz of tli 55, draiilingsare-"about one-halfthe length er the The toolbar-8 disposed rear-wardly of too'l -bar I is'provideduwith additionat duck" foot elements 22, 23;,a11dt24vv which aresimilar in shape 1 to and- 5: set of standar d 'partsl- 5 I If i are. arrangedin: longitudinal alinement with the: forward duck. foot elements- H, l8 andcl9grrespectively. These elements are. mounteddetachably; onmtool, ban 8 by.- means of. clamps 25 which}.

like thelclampstused. on the forward toolibarfi 1-,

accommodate. vertical; adjustment .of theground working, tools." Mounted vertically. on the'trail center rotorztbeing-made up of parts which com prise the latter. Thus, the right hand rotor is" made up of a central 'hub" disc 32 and one end disccsuch as as, with meaning bladest the-left hand rotor ccmpnsesacemral hub was mulching a greater number of crop rows m bnsepem an;

rotors 'similar to' the central' rbtor illustrated are mounted mpresent spsces reiaecn as the startmascara Referring .to.-Fig.: 3 of; the draw 7E; ends'ofxthe shafti- Secured to the Each disc is decimal wr 7 tools mcuntea there-cu esy comrecusn wah todl acne case, hem-amp st mulating" Means by which power derived from the tractor is coupled to the rotor shaft 3| is dependent upon the type of tractor employed. For example, the tractor illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings is equipped with a power take-off shaft 39 extending rearwardly from the differential drive gears of the axle 5. With this construction I couple the power take-off shaft 39 to a jack shaft 40 by means of pulleys 'll and 42 and belt is. The jack shaft is mounted for rotation in bearings 45 secured to a bracket plate 45 projecting laterally from the frame member I. The forward end of the jack shaft is joined to a tube 46 through a universal 41. The central hole in said tube as shown is of square cross section, although other non-circular shapes may be used with equal facility. A square shaft 48, slidably received within the squared tube 46, extends from the latter forwardly toward the gear assembly 49 which engages the rotor shaft 3!. Said gear assembly and the squared shaft are joined articulately through universal 50. Y

The tractor illustrated in dotted outline in Fig. 2 is provided with'an auxiliary power shaft 5| located generally just below the drivers seat. In coupling the power from shaft 5| to rotor shaft 3!, I mount a jack shaft 52 transversely of the tractor in bearings 53 secured to brackets 55. Said brackets extend forwardly to the gear housing 6 and are secured thereto by means of plates 55 which form an integral part of the brackets. Each of said plates is secured to the gear housing by means of bolts 55, one of which extends through an arcuate slot 51 formed in the plate to provide vertical adjustment of the jack shaft 52. Longitudinal adjustment of the jack shaft with respect to the power shaft 5! is-provided by a series of holes 58 formed in the brackets 54. The bearings 53. may thus be secured to the brackets by means of bolts 59 extending through any pair of holes 58 selected. A pulley fit is secured to the jack shaft 52 and is interconnected to a pulley 6| on the power shaft 5i by means of belt 62. Pulleys 63 secured to the jack shaft at opposite sides of pulley 6i! interconnect pulleys 65 secured to the rotor shaft 3i through belts =65.

Although, the cultivator is used most frequently for conditioning soil in which row crops have already been planted, it has been found desirable in many instances to operate the cultivator immediately ahead of the planting machine. It is not infrequent that considerable time elapses between the preparation of the soil for planting and the actual planting of the crop. The two most prevalent causes of such condition are, first, the impending danger of a frost and, second, the occurrence of rain. In both cases planting time may of necessity be postponed for days, during which time a new crop of weeds has had opportunity to germinate and, frequently, to grow up from the freshly prepared soil. It is essential for maximum crop production that weeds which have germinated or grown be killed before the crop is planted, for otherwise the crop growth is inhibited by the earlier start of weeds. The use of the cultivator ahead of the planting machine not only effects destruction of germinated and grown weeds but also reconditions the soil which may have become packed as a result of prior rains.

In operation, the cultivator attachment illustrated in the drawings is transported in elevated position under or behind the tractor to the field where cultivation is to be performed. The pairs of discs I 3 are adjusted to proper spacing upon the forward tool bar 1, i. e. the spacing between pairs is adjusted to equal the width between rows of plants already planted or about to be planted. The duck foot elements flanking said discs, as well as those arranged on the rear tool bar 8, are then secured in proper symmetrical position. It is to be noted that all of the ground work implements mounted upon the forward tool bar are arranged to penetrate the soil to a depth of a few inches, it being evident to those skilled in the art that variations in depth may be, made to accommodate diverse conditions of soil and desired treatments.

Similarly, the overall length of each mulching rotor mounted on the rotor shaft 3| is adjusted, as described hereinbefore, in accordance with the width between rows. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it is noted that the ends of the various mulching rotors adjacent the rows l6 terminate in substantially longitudinal alinement with one of the discs l3. Additionally, if desired, the mulching blades 35 may be set at oblique angles with respect to the axis of rotation of shaft 3|, as explained before. The speed with which the mulching motors, are revolved is determined by the condition of the soil being treated, the degree of pulverization desired and the depth to which said rotors are to penetrate. As shown in Fig. 3, the depth setting 01' the mulching rotors is slightly greater than that of the forward ground working tools.

Having thus arranged the ground working implements in proper operating position, the tractor is propelled forwardly and the tool bar assembly is lowered by means of the lever system described hereinbefore to bring the tools into proper relationship with the soil. Assuming, for purposes of illustration, that a row crop has previously been planted, the pairs of discs I3 are arranged to straddle each row I6 with discs of each pair penetrating the soil adjacent opposite lateral sides of the plants. As the tractor moves forwardly each disc cuts a V-shaped trough. l! on opposite sides of the planted rows, throwing the soil outwardly away from the plants.

The duck foot plow elements I I, I8 and I9 enter the soil slightly rearwardly of the discs I3 and break up a major portion of the soil lying inter.- mediate the rows of plants into substantially large aggregate or lumps 66, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In the event that the duckfoot elements should loosen extremely large portions of soil extending toward the rows of plants, the V-shaped troughs I"! serve to break the soil so loosened and thus prevent uprooting of the planted crop or other damage to the row soil. The forward duck foot tools have thus loosened and partially disintegrated a major portion of the soil between the rows, leaving but a minor portion of packed soil to be treated by the rotary mulching units. In cases where the ground has been worked just prior to treatment with the mulching uints the soil may be sufficiently loose to obviate the necessity of further treatment with the forward tool assembly, for it is the primary function of these elements to loosen a major portion of the soil and thereby reduce the power requirements of the mulching rotors.

As the rapidly rotating mulching blades 36 cut through the ground the soil is broken into finely divided particles. These particles of soil are lifted and thrown rearwardly of the rotors with substantially none of the soil being deposited more closely to the plants than are the lateral edges eithe -blades 36a The rearward bank duckfoot'tho1s -22,-28' and 2 :t w'ith their attached scraw inglbladeszt thereafter move over th-e' surtace or the mulch 6 laterally andidraw'apottioh oflthe latter toward th'e rc mvs 'of plants; This small por tion of soilv isdeposit'ed about the base of the piantsaa's shown in Fi'g: 'Z -therehy cnveringssoverand killing? any Weeds which have erminated-or begu'nto grow in theaplant rows; This latternp= eration greatly reduces the time and hand: labor otherwise expended inkeeping the rows free'from weeds.

It is to be notedgin -l ig. 'rof the 'drawingsdthat the bed of mulch 61 extends laterally between rows '1 6 'suffieientm'toflllthe v-shapedtroughs I I previously formed by the discs I3. The mulch does not tendto give up imii'sture; as contrasted Witht'he clods or-luinps 66a On-the -contrary, it has been fou nd that the mulch tends to draw moisture upwardly from the underlying. sci-ll In many instances this actionhas been found to be a sufiibient substitute for an irrigati'om. thereby further-reducing the: cost of" producing the crop. The mulch bedmay thereafter be eorrugated for irrigation purposes without" incurring the" usual production of clo'ds or lumps which as' explained hereinbeforebecome dry and'h ard up'om'exposure to the atmospher'e;

I claim? -1-. A method ofcultivating soil between the rows of arrow 'c'rbpplanting' area,;compr-isin'g. th-e steps of cutting vertical-soilseveranceboundaries closely adjacentthe sidesofthose rows bounding the opposite" sides ot the area to be thus -cultivated -aml mo' the soil thus 'severeddateraHy away tram: said rows and toward the center of said area-severin a majoritybu't less than all of the undisturbed-soil between saidbciindaries in-a horizontal plane at a predetermined depth; and immediately pulverizingsaid sever'edsoil" and a majority of th'eremainihg undisturbed son between said boundaries and to said depth to prevent dehydration thereof.

2. A ihethod of cultivating.thesoil between ad jaeent'rows of a row crop vplanting area',-oomprising the steps of cutting vertical soilseveranceboun'dari'es clo'sely adjacent opposite sides of the planting area; severing the soil between said boundaries ifi a horizontal plane at' a predeter mined depth, immediately pulverizing said: :sev e're'd soil to" "prevent dehydrationthereof, and" brushing a thin-layer ofsaid .pulverizedsoilback ov'er'said adj acentrows.

3. A method of "cultivating soil for the produetionof row crops, comprising the steps of cutting vertical soil severance boundaries "closelyadja cent the sides of two adjacent rows, sever-inga majority of the soil between said boundaries i-n -a horizontal plane at a predetermined depth-,1 im mediately pulverizing all the 'soil bounded-by said 8%? predetermined depth and saidseverance boundaries; wand br ushin'gya thin'layerlof said pulverized soil over at least one" of: said-adj ac'entrows 4'; A method- :of cultivating soilfor the production of row oro'psy comprising the-steps of forming soil: severance boundaries by cutting vertical channels in the soil: closely adjacent-the companion' sides of: two adj a'cent rows thus. to bound an area to be'wor-ked; shearing the:.soi-l-between said: boundaries tea width short ofsaid boundaries; ina horizontal plane at the -approximate depth or said channels, immediately pulverizing and working said'area and ailsoil bounded-by the depth of said channels andsaid sever-anceboundalries, a'ndrthereafter, brushing a thin layer of said pulverized and worked soil baek over each of said a'd j'aceht rows;

5; A- method of cultivating: soil; comprising the steps of pulverizihgand aerating: a mass-of soil between two row "crop planting areas to-increase the soil volume, and 'brushingapreselectedmeasured, and controlled'fra'ctional portion of the excess volume thus created "over each said planting area:- to inhibit weed growth therein.

6t A methodef cultivatingsoil for theprod-uotion of row crops, comprising the stepsot cutting channels in the soil closely adjacent the companion sides of two adjacent rows and moving the soil from .said' channels-laterally away from said: rows and toward the center of the area therebetween, pulv'erizing andvfiufing the' soil-tbetween the rows-as bounded by said] channels: to create a volume of pulverizedsoil-exceedingthe volume" previously existing; and brushing a vpredeterminedfractional portion "of such excess volume ov'e'r 'eachof said: adjacentrows to cover the same with a thin layer of soil to inhibit weed growth.

JOE"SEVERANCE;

References Cited in the file of this patent U N -ITED PAI ENTS Number Name Date 429,669 Whitman June 10, 1390 432335 Shepherd July 15, I890 "709,028 Mulrony Sept. 16} 1902 720,948 Mulrony Feb: I7, 1903 1,473151'9' R6111 NOV. 6,1923

1,544,632 Branson July "1, 1925 1,802,211 Lively Apr. 21', 1931 2,D6"0,68i8 Pryor" Nov. 10', 1936 2; 232523 Gray Feb.- 13, 1941 2364 043 Ariens Dec. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,375 Denmark Feb. 19,-1918 

